The Carroll High School football team is under investigation after some players used gay slurs against another student.

The football players were in a group chat and were upset that another student, who is gay, was voted to the homecoming court. Superintendent Rob Cordes said the players already regret what he calls a stupid mistake.

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“Well I certainly think this gives some individual students a black eye, as well as the football team,” Cordes said.

Cordes discovered a copy of a group chat in which players used slurs against the gay student on the homecoming court.

The football players’ chat happened Friday night. One player's text said the gay student should kill himself, or go die. Another said he would drop out if the gay student stayed on the homecoming court.

Students who spoke with KCCI said this kind of talk is disappointing.

“It's honestly horrible,” Carroll freshman Korey Nieland said. “Don't make fun of people for what they want to be.”

“Yeah, I’m disappointed because he's a really good guy and shouldn't be called names,” Carroll freshman Taylor Moore said.

“Did they make a mistake? Yes. Absolutely. A big one,” Cordes said.

School officials spent the day interviewing the football players and the gay student.

The student, who we are not naming, said this should be a teachable moment for the entire school, not just the football players. The players have said they already regret the slurs.

“And I can tell you for a fact there is a lot of them hurting,” Cordes said. “And some of the ones hurting are the ones that caused the problem.”

So far no punishment has been dealt in the case. Nieland said game suspension may teach the football players a lesson.

“If they're sorry and they understand what they did and don't do it again, that's OK,” Nieland said. “Maybe one- or two-game suspension would be enough.”

Cordes said that, despite rumors, there has been no decision on punishment. He said he is also considering holding a school assembly to make sure all students get the message of tolerance.